Department of Electrical and Computer Department of Electrical and Computer The Department of Electrical and Computer offers Master of Science degrees in Advanced Materials, Computer, and Electrical, as well as a Doctor of Philosophy degree in Electrical. M.S. in Electrical (p. ) M.S. in Computer (p. 2) M.S. in Advanced Materials (p. 4) Ph.D. in Electrical (p. 6) Integrated Bachelor's/Master's Program (p. 8) Master of Science Degree in Electrical The Master of Science degree in Electrical is designed to offer students the opportunity to prepare for leadership roles in careers with industry, government, or educational institutions. The program has emphases in five concentrations: Computer, Systems and Control,, Communications, and Electronic Materials and Devices. A thesis option is offered for students who want the opportunity to obtain expertise in research and who may be interested in pursuing a doctoral degree in electrical engineering. A nonthesis option is available for students who want a practical industrial applicationsoriented degree. Program Admission Requirements In addition to the University-wide graduate admission requirements, admission decisions will be based on a combination of the following: a satisfactory score, as evaluated by the Electrical Graduate Studies Committee, on the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) a bachelor s degree in electrical engineering, or in related fields for exceptional candidates a minimum grade point average of.0 in the last 60 semester credit hours. Students whose native language is not English must achieve a minimum score of 550 on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) paper version, 79 on the TOEFL ibt, or 6.5 on the International English Language Testing System (IELTS). A student who does not qualify for unconditional admission may be admitted on a conditional basis as determined by the Electrical Graduate Studies Committee. Applicants with an electrical engineering background who wish to continue their education but do not intend to pursue the Master of Science degree in Electrical are encouraged to seek admission as special graduate students. Degree Requirements The minimum number of semester credit hours required for the degree is 0 for the thesis option and for the nonthesis option. Thesis Option The degree requires 0 semester credit hours including 24 technical course credits and 6 thesis credits identified as EE 698 Master s Thesis. At least 6 semester credit hours, including semester credit hours of a core course, must be taken from courses in the student's concentration area. At least semester credit hours of core courses must be taken outside the concentration area to satisfy the breadth requirement. No more than semester credit hours of independent study should be included. One () semester credit hour of EE 699 is required and up to two (2) semester credit hours of EE 699 may be included. Up to 6 semester credit hours may be taken from other graduate courses including courses from outside electrical engineering with approval of the Electrical Graduate Program Committee. A current list of electrical engineering graduate courses by area of concentration is available in the department office. The distribution of required courses is shown below. A. Core course based on student's area of concentration from the list below: Computer Concentration EE 52 Systems and Control Concentration EE 54 Linear Systems and Control Concentration EE 56 Communications Concentration EE 58 Electronic Materials and Devices Concentration EE 569 B. At least one course from student's selected concentration C. At least one core course from outside the concentration D. Additional graduate electrical engineering courses 9 Must include semester credit hour of EE 699 Research Seminar E. Other Electives (may be courses from outside electrical 6 engineering) F. Master's Thesis (a minimum of 6 semester credit hours are required) EE 698 Master s Thesis Total Credit Hours 0 Chosen with approval of the Electrical Graduate Program Committee. Nonthesis Option The degree requires semester credit hours of technical course credits. At least 9 semester credit hours, including semester credit hours of a core course, must be taken from one area to establish the student's concentration. At least 6 semester credit hours of core courses must be taken outside the concentration area to satisfy the breadth requirement. No more than semester credit hours of independent study should be included. One () semester credit hour of EE 699 is required and up to two (2) semester credit hours of EE 699 may be included. Up to 6 semester credit hours may be taken from other graduate courses including courses from outside electrical engineering with approval of the Electrical Graduate Program Committee. A current list of electrical engineering graduate courses by area of 6
Department of Electrical and Computer concentration is available in the department office. The distribution of required courses is given below. A. Core course based on student's area of concentration from the list below: Computer Concentration EE 52 Systems and Control Concentration EE 54 Linear Systems and Control Concentration EE 56 Communications Concentration EE 58 Electronic Materials and Devices Concentration EE 569 B. At least two courses from student's selected concentration 6 C. At least two core courses from outside the concentration 6 D. Additional graduate electrical engineering courses 9 Must include semester credit hour of EE 699 Research Seminar E. Other Electives (may be courses from outside electrical 6 engineering) F. Master's Project (a minimum of semester credit hours are required) EE 694 Graduate Project Total Credit Hours Chosen with approval of the Electrical Graduate Program Committee. Concentrations The Electrical (EE) courses are divided into five concentrations as follows: Computer EE 50 Programming EE 5 VLSI System Design EE 52 EE 59 FPGA and HDL EE 522 Topics in Digital Design EE 52 Topics in VLSI Design EE 542 Topics in EE 545 Topics in Software Systems and Control EE 54 Linear Systems and Control EE 524 Topics in Systems and Control EE 54 Intelligent Control and Robotics EE 544 Discrete-Time Control Theory and Design EE 64 Advanced Topics in Systems and Control EE 744 Nonlinear Control Systems EE 55 Random Signals and Noise EE 56 EE 526 Topics in and Digital Filtering EE 55 Topics in Multimedia Signal Processing EE 66 Advanced Topics in Signal Processing Communications EE 55 Random Signals and Noise EE 58 EE 528 Topics in Communication Systems EE 57 Wireless Communication EE 547 Fiber Optic Communication EE 558 Topics in Digital Communication EE 68 Advanced Topics in Communications Electronic Materials and Devices EE 529 Topics in Microelectronics EE 540 Advanced Dielectric and Optoelectronic Laboratory EE 550 Introduction to Micro and Nanotechnology EE 559 Topics in Advanced Sensor Devices EE 569 EE 649 Advanced Topics in Electronic Materials and Devices Degree plans must be consistent with the guidelines established by the Electrical Graduate Program Committee. In general, undergraduate courses, general education courses, and courses satisfying provisional conditions for admission cannot be counted toward the total required degree credit hours. Comprehensive Examination Degree candidates are required to pass an oral comprehensive examination. The examination is to be administered in the form of a presentation of the thesis or research project to the student s advisory committee, chaired by a tenured or tenure-track graduate faculty member. Students must register for one semester credit hour of Comprehensive Examination for the semester in which the examination is to be taken, if they are not enrolled in other courses. Master of Science Degree in Computer The Master of Science degree in Computer is designed to offer students the opportunity to prepare for leadership roles in careers with industry, government, or educational institutions. Students enrolled in the M.S. degree program in Computer will have two options to obtain their degrees: () Thesis Option and (2) Nonthesis Option. A thesis option is offered for students who want the opportunity to obtain expertise in research and who may be interested in pursuing a doctoral degree in computer engineering or electrical engineering. A nonthesis option is offered for students who want a practical industrial applications-oriented degree. Program Admission Requirements In addition to the University-wide graduate admission requirements, admission decisions will be based on a combination of the following: 2 2//7
Department of Electrical and Computer a satisfactory score, as evaluated by the Computer Graduate Studies Committee, on the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) a bachelor s degree in electrical or computer engineering or in related fields for exceptional candidates a minimum grade point average of.0 in the last 60 semester credit hours of undergraduate studies. Students whose native language is not English must achieve a minimum score of 550 on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) paper version, 79 on the TOEFL ibt, or 6.5 on the International English Language Testing System (IELTS). A student who does not qualify for unconditional admission may be admitted on a conditional basis as determined by the Computer Graduate Studies Committee. Applicants with an electrical or computer engineering background who wish to continue their education but do not intend to pursue the Master of Science degree in Computer are encouraged to seek admission as special graduate students. Degree Requirements The minimum number of semester credit hours required for the degree is 0 for the thesis option and for the nonthesis option. The courses are divided into three groups as follows: Thesis Option A. Select any two core courses from Group A 6 Group A. The following four core courses of this group form the basis for the program: EE 50 EE 5 EE 52 EE 59 Programming VLSI System Design FPGA and HDL B. Additional computer engineering courses from Group A or B (must include semester credit hour of EE 699 Research Seminar) Group B. Additional computer engineering courses: CS 50 EE 56 EE 522 EE 529 EE 52 EE 55 EE 542 EE 545 EE 699 CPE 695 Software Topics in Digital Design (may be repeated when Topics in Microelectronics (may be repeated when Topics in VLSI Design (may be repeated when Topics in Multimedia Signal Processing (only Topic and Topic 2) Topics in (may be repeated when Topics in Software (may be repeated when Independent Study or CPE 6952Independent Study or CPE 695Independent Study C. Elective courses from Group A or B or C 6 2 Group C. Free elective courses (any graduate-level electrical engineering course): CS 5 CS 52 CS 525 CS 56 CS 552 Computer Graphics Artificial Intelligence Expert Systems Programming Languages and Compilers Operating Systems D. Master's Thesis (a minimum of 6 semester credit hours) 6 CPE 698 Master's Thesis Total Credit Hours 0 Chosen with approval of the Computer Graduate Program Committee. Nonthesis Option A. Select any two core courses from Group A 6 Group A. The following four core courses of this group form the basis for the program: EE 50 EE 5 EE 52 EE 59 Programming VLSI System Design FPGA and HDL B. Additional computer engineering courses from Group A or B (must include semester credit hour of EE 699 Research Seminar) Group B. Additional computer engineering courses: CS 50 EE 56 EE 522 EE 529 EE 52 EE 55 EE 542 EE 545 EE 699 CPE 695 Software Topics in Digital Design (may be repeated when Topics in Microelectronics (may be repeated when Topics in VLSI Design (may be repeated when Topics in Multimedia Signal Processing (only Topic and Topic 2) Topics in (may be repeated when Topics in Software (may be repeated when Independent Study or CPE 6952Independent Study or CPE 695Independent Study C. Elective courses from Group A or B or C 9 Group C. Free elective courses (any graduate-level electrical engineering course): CS 5 CS 52 CS 525 CS 56 CS 552 Computer Graphics Artificial Intelligence Expert Systems Programming Languages and Compilers Operating Systems D. Master's Project (a minimum of semester credit hours) 5
Department of Electrical and Computer CPE 694 Graduate Project Total Credit Hours Chosen with approval of the Computer Graduate Program Committee. One () credit hour of EE 699 is required for both the thesis and nonthesis options and up to two (2) credit hours of EE 699 can be included. No more than three () credit hours of independent study can be included. Degree plans must be consistent with the guidelines established by the Computer Graduate Program Committee. In general, undergraduate courses, general education courses, and courses satisfying provisional conditions for admission cannot be counted toward the total required degree credit hours. Comprehensive Examination Degree candidates are required to pass an oral comprehensive examination. The examination is to be administered in the form of a presentation of the thesis or research project to the student s advisory committee, chaired by a tenured or tenure-track graduate faculty member. Students must register for one semester credit hour of Comprehensive Examination for the semester in which the examination is to be taken, if they are not enrolled in other courses. Master of Science Degree in Advanced Materials The Master of Science (M.S.) degree in Advanced Materials (MatE) at The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) is an interdisciplinary graduate degree program offered by the College of. The M.S. in MatE degree program is currently administered by the Department of Electrical and Computer. The Master of Science degree in Advanced Materials is designed to train graduate students with the state-of-the-art technical knowledge and skill sets necessary for independent critical thinking, problem solving, and decision making to address multidisciplinary problems in materials engineering. The degree program also provides students with opportunities in taking multidisciplinary courses from the College of and other colleges at UTSA to enhance students leadership, problem-solving, and entrepreneurship skills. The program addresses three interlinked areas of knowledge in advanced materials engineering:. Structure-function relationships in materials, which determine behavior at the macro-, micro-, nano-, molecular- and atomic-levels; 2. Synthesis, characterization, measurement, and computational modeling of materials (ceramics, composites, metals, polymers, multifunctional, electronic and biomedical) especially those with novel properties, to address current and future technological challenges; and. Design and applications of materials that impact different facets of our economy, including materials in energy, nanotechnology, medicine, communications, sensors, transportation, structural and environmental applications. The M.S. in MatE offers core courses to all enrolled students to achieve a common platform of understanding and knowledge. Subsequently, students will choose their concentrations according to materials classifications and applications. Currently two concentrations are offered: Concentration I Multifunctional Electronic, Dielectric, Photonic and Magnetic Materials Concentration II Multifunctional Biomedical Materials With the approval of the Program Director and the student s Supervising Professor, a student may take graduate-level courses offered by other graduate programs related to materials science and engineering, including from the Management of Technology program, to augment the student s education and creativity in interdisciplinary areas and to better prepare for jobs in research and in the industry. Both thesis and nonthesis options are available. Program Admission Requirements In addition to the University-wide graduate admission requirements, admission decisions will be made by the Admissions Committee based on a combination of the following: A bachelor s degree in any discipline of engineering, materials science, physics or chemistry. A minimum grade point average of.0 (on a 4.0 scale) in the last 60 semester credit hours of undergraduate studies. A statement of research experience, interests and goals. Letters of recommendation. A satisfactory score on the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) test as evaluated by the Admissions Committee. An applicant s performance on the GRE is considered with other criteria when making an admission or competitive fellowship decision but will not be used as the sole or primary criterion to end consideration of the applicant. Students whose native language is not English must achieve a minimum score of 550 on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) paper version, 79 on the TOEFL ibt, or 6.5 on the International English Language Testing System (IELTS). Degree Requirements The minimum number of semester credit hours required for the M.S. in MatE degree is 0 for the thesis option and for the nonthesis option. Thesis Option The degree requires 0 semester credit hours including 24 technical course credits and 6 thesis credits identified as MATE 698 Master s Thesis Research. A total of 8 semester credit hours, including 9 credits of core courses in Group A and at least 6 credits of concentration courses and credits of another concentration course in Group B must be taken to satisfy the depth and the breadth requirement. Up to 6 credits may be taken from courses in Group C, including courses from outside of the College of with the approval of the Advanced Materials Graduate Program Committee. A current list of MATE graduate courses is available in the department office. No more than a total of semester credit hours of MATE 695, MATE 6952, or MATE 695, MOT 697 or MOT 697 Special Problems, and (BME 60 or EE 699) may be included. A. Required Core Courses from Group A 9 Group A. Required core courses: 4 2//7
Department of Electrical and Computer MATE 50 MATE 5 MOT 56 Principles of Materials : Fundamentals of Structure, Chemistry, and Physical Properties Functions, Evaluations and Synthesis Technology of Advanced Materials Management of Technology B. Concentration specific courses from Group B 9 Group B. Concentration specific courses: Concentration I: Multifunctional Electronic, Dielectric, Photonic and Magnetic Materials EE 540 EE 550 EE 569 EE 649 MATE 52 MATE 522 MATE 52 MATE 524 MATE 525 MATE 59 Advanced Dielectric and Optoelectronic Laboratory Introduction to Micro and Nanotechnology Advanced Topics in Electronic Materials and Devices (may be repeated when topics vary) Sensing and Sensor Materials Structure-Chemistry-Property Relations in Materials Science and Anisotropy and Crystalline Materials Optic and Nonlinear Optical Materials Magnetic Materials and Electromagnetic Topics in Advanced Materials (may be repeated when topics vary) Concentration II: Multifunctional Biomedical Materials BME 69 BME 694 BME 695 BME 696 BME 699 MATE 55 MATE 552 MATE 55 MATE 554 MATE 59 Tissue-Biomaterials Interactions Biomaterials and Cell Signaling Biomaterials for Drug-Delivery/Pharmacology Fundamentals to Polymer Science with Select Biomedical Applications Topics in Biomaterials Fundamentals of Microfabrication and Application Biosensors: Fundamentals and Applications Biomaterials Current Analytical Tools for Biomaterials Characterizations Topics in Advanced Materials C. Prescribed Electives from Group C 6 Group C. Prescribed elective courses. Additional elective courses may be added with approval of the Advanced Materials Graduate Program Committee. BME 60 BME 672 EE 699 MATE 695 MATE 6952 MATE 695 ME 548 ME 57 ME 574 MOT 524 Bioinstrumentations Finite Element Methods Mechanical Behavior of Materials Composite Materials Essentials of Project and Program Management MOT 525 MOT 5 MOT 52 MOT 5 MOT 697 MOT 697 Starting the High-Tech Firm Emerging Technologies Biotechnology Industry Technological Drivers of Globalization Special Problems Special Problems D. Master's Thesis (a minimum of 6 semester credit hours) 6 MATE 698 Master s Thesis Research Total Credit Hours 0 Nonthesis Option The degree requires semester credit hours including 0 technical course credits and project credits identified as MATE 694 Master s Project. A total of 24 semester credit hours, including 9 credits of core courses in Group A and at least 9 credits of concentration courses and credits of another concentration course in Group B, must be taken to satisfy the depth and the breadth requirement. Up to 9 credits may be taken from courses in Group C, including courses from out of the College of with the approval of the Advanced Materials Graduate Program Committee. A current list of MATE graduate courses is available in the department office. No more than a total of semester credit hours of MATE 695. MATE 6952, or MATE 695 Directed Research in Advanced Materials, MOT 697 or MOT 697 Special Problems, and (BME 60 or EE 699) may be included. A. Required Core Courses from Group A 9 Group A. Required core courses: MATE 50 MATE 5 MOT 56 Principles of Materials : Fundamentals of Structure, Chemistry, and Physical Properties Functions, Evaluations and Synthesis Technology of Advanced Materials Management of Technology B. Concentration specific courses from Group B 2 Group B. Concentration specific courses: Concentration I: Multifunctional Electronic, Dielectric, Photonic and Magnetic Materials EE 540 EE 550 EE 569 EE 649 MATE 52 MATE 522 MATE 52 MATE 524 MATE 525 MATE 59 Advanced Dielectric and Optoelectronic Laboratory Introduction to Micro and Nanotechnology Advanced Topics in Electronic Materials and Devices (may be repeated when topics vary) Sensing and Sensor Materials Structure-Chemistry-Property Relations in Materials Science and Anisotropy and Crystalline Materials Optic and Nonlinear Optical Materials Magnetic Materials and Electromagnetic Topics in Advanced Materials (may be repeated when topics vary) Concentration II: Multifunctional Biomedical Materials BME 69 BME 694 BME 695 Tissue-Biomaterials Interactions Biomaterials and Cell Signaling Biomaterials for Drug-Delivery/Pharmacology 5
Department of Electrical and Computer BME 696 BME 699 MATE 55 MATE 552 MATE 55 MATE 554 MATE 59 Fundamentals to Polymer Science with Select Biomedical Applications Topics in Biomaterials Fundamentals of Microfabrication and Application Biosensors: Fundamentals and Applications Biomaterials Current Analytical Tools for Biomaterials Characterizations Topics in Advanced Materials C. Prescribed Electives from Group C 9 Group C. Prescribed elective courses. Additional elective courses may be added with approval of the Advanced Materials Graduate Program Committee. BME 60 BME 672 EE 529 EE 699 MATE 695 MATE 6952 MATE 695 ME 548 ME 57 ME 574 MOT 524 MOT 525 MOT 5 MOT 52 MOT 5 MOT 697 MOT 697 Bioinstrumentations Topics in Microelectronics Finite Element Methods Mechanical Behavior of Materials Composite Materials Essentials of Project and Program Management Starting the High-Tech Firm Emerging Technologies Biotechnology Industry Technological Drivers of Globalization Special Problems Special Problems D. Master's Project (a minimum of semester credit hours) MATE 694 Master s Project Total Credit Hours Degree plans must be consistent with the guidelines established by the Advanced Materials Graduate Program Committee. In general, undergraduate courses of the same concentration, general education courses, and courses satisfying provisional conditions for admission cannot be counted toward the total required degree credit hours. Students enrolled through integrated B.S./M.S. program should consult the Graduate Advisor or Record for details on fulfilling the integrated degree requirement. Comprehensive Examination Degree candidates are required to pass an oral comprehensive examination. The examination is to be administered in the form of a presentation of the thesis or research project to the student s Supervising Committee. The Supervising Committee consists of minimum two (for non-thesis option) or three (for thesis option) graduate faculty members; two of the members including the Chair of the Committee must be graduate faculty members affiliated with the M.S. in MatE program. Students must register for semester credit hour of Comprehensive Examination (MATE 696), for the semester in which the examination is to be taken, if they are not enrolled in other courses. Doctor of Philosophy Degree in Electrical The Department of Electrical and Computer offers advanced coursework integrated with research leading to the Doctor of Philosophy degree in Electrical. The program has emphases in five concentrations: Computer, Systems and Control, Digital Signal Processing, Communications, and Electronic Materials and Devices. The Ph.D. degree in Electrical will be awarded to candidates who have displayed an in-depth understanding of the subject matter and demonstrated the ability to make an original contribution to knowledge in their field of specialty. The regulations for this degree comply with the general University regulations (refer to Chapter 2, General Academic Regulations, and Chapter 5, Doctoral Degree Regulations). Admission Requirements The minimum requirements for admission to the Doctor of Philosophy in Electrical degree program are as follows: Normally, a student is expected to hold a master s degree before being granted admission to the program. Only exceptional, well prepared, and highly competitive candidates should apply to enter the Ph.D. program directly upon receiving a bachelor s degree. Applicants with a master s degree must have a grade point average of. or better in their master s degree program. Applicants without a master s degree program must have a grade point average of. or better in the last 60 semester credit hours of undergraduate coursework in electrical engineering. Applicants who would like to transfer in coursework from another institution or applicants admitted without an earned master s degree in electrical engineering may apply a maximum of 27 semester credit hours of previously earned graduate credit toward their doctoral degree. Each student s transcript will be evaluated by the Doctoral Studies Committee and credit will be designated on a course-bycourse basis to satisfy the formal coursework requirements of the degree. A satisfactory score, as evaluated by the Doctoral Studies Committee for Electrical, is required on the Graduate Record Examination (GRE). The GRE score will be considered with other criteria in making admission or competitive scholarship decisions and will not be used as the sole criterion for consideration of the applicant or as the primary criterion to end consideration of the applicant. Students whose native language is not English must achieve a minimum score of 550 on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) paper version, 79 on the TOEFL ibt, or 6.5 on the International English Language Testing System (IELTS). Letters of recommendation, preferably three, attesting to the applicant s readiness for doctoral study. A complete application includes the application form, official transcripts, letters of recommendation, GRE scores, a résumé, a statement of research experience, interests and goals, and the TOEFL or IELTS score for those applicants whose native language is not English. Admission is competitive. Satisfying these requirements does not guarantee admission. 6 2//7
Department of Electrical and Computer Degree Requirements and Program of Study The degree requires 8 semester credit hours beyond the bachelor s degree or 54 semester credit hours beyond the master s degree, passing of qualifying examinations I and II, passing of a dissertation proposal examination, passing of a final oral defense, and acceptance of the Ph.D. dissertation. A two-semester residency research period is required. The core courses for the five concentrations are listed below: EE 52 (Computer ) EE 54 Linear Systems and Control (Systems and Control) EE 56 EE 58 EE 569 (Digital Signal Processing) (Communications) (Electronic Materials and Devices) 8 Semester Credit Hours beyond the Bachelor s Degree The course requirements for 8 credit hours include 45 technical course credits, 8 research credits identified as EE 795, EE 7952, and EE 795 Doctoral Research and 8 dissertation credits identified as EE 799 through EE 799 Doctoral Dissertation. At least two courses must be taken from core courses in two of the five concentration areas outside of the student s concentration, to complete the breadth requirement. No more than 6 credits of independent study should be included. One credit hour of EE 697 Special Problems is required and up to three credit hours of EE 697 or EE 699 can be included. Up to 2 credits may be taken from other graduate courses including at least two courses from outside electrical engineering with approval of the Electrical Graduate Program Committee. A. Three core courses including one core course in the student's area of concentration from the list below: Computer Concentration EE 52 Systems and Control Concentration EE 54 Linear Systems and Control Concentration EE 56 Communications Concentration EE 58 Electronic Materials and Devices Concentration EE 569 B. Graduate elective courses 6 One credit hour of EE 697 Special Problems is required and up to three credit hours of EE 697 or EE 699 can be included. At least two courses (6 credits) from outside electrical engineering with approval of the Electrical Graduate Program Committee are required. No more than 6 credits of independent study should be included. C. Research credits identified as EE 795, EE 7952, and EE 795 Doctoral Research 9 8 D. Dissertation credits identified as EE 799 through EE 799 Doctoral Dissertation Total Credit Hours 8 54 Semester Credit Hours beyond the Master s Degree The course requirements for 54 credit hours include 8 technical course credits, 8 research credits identified as EE 795, EE 7952, and EE 795 Doctoral Research and 8 dissertation credits identified as EE 799 through EE 799 Doctoral Dissertation. At least three courses must be taken from the five core courses and at least two courses from outside electrical engineering with approval of the Electrical Graduate Program Committee. An advanced graduate course (nonlaboratory intensive) with a specified core course as prerequisite may be used, upon approval of the Graduate Advisor of Record, to satisfy the given core course requirement, if the student took the core (or equivalent) course for credit in a different degree program or at another institution. No more than 6 credits of independent study including those earned towards the Master s degree should be included. One credit hour of EE 697 Special Problems is required and up to credit hours of EE 697 or EE 699 can be included. A Master s degree with at least 0 semester credit hours received in a closely-related field is needed for this option. A. Three core courses including one core course in the student's area of concentration from the list below: (Substitution is allowed if core courses were taken in the Master s program): Computer Concentration EE 52 Systems and Control Concentration EE 54 Linear Systems and Control Concentration EE 56 Communications Concentration EE 58 Electronic Materials and Devices Concentration EE 569 B. Graduate elective courses 9 One credit hour of EE 697 Special Problems is required and up to three credit hours of EE 697 or EE 699 including those earned towards the Master s degree can be included. If not earned in the Master s program, at least two courses (6 credits) from outside electrical engineering with approval of the Electrical Graduate Program Committee are required. No more than 6 credits of independent study including those earned towards the Master s degree should be included. C. Research credits identified as EE 795, EE 7952, and EE 795 Doctoral Research D. Dissertation credits identified as EE 799 through EE 799 Doctoral Dissertation Total Credit Hours 54 In general, undergraduate courses, general education courses, and courses satisfying provisional conditions for admission cannot be counted toward the total required degree credit hours. 8 9 8 8 The preliminary program of study must be approved by the student s dissertation advisor and the Graduate Program Committee prior to 7
Department of Electrical and Computer taking the Doctoral Qualifying Examination, and must be submitted subsequently upon the Dissertation Committee s approval, to the Dean of the Graduate School for final approval. The courses are intended to focus and support the individual s mastery of his or her particular area of expertise. Advancement to Candidacy All students seeking a doctoral degree at UTSA must be admitted to candidacy. One of the requirements for admission to candidacy is passing a doctoral qualifying examination. Students should consult the University s Doctoral Degree Regulations (Chapter 5 in this catalog) for other requirements. Qualifying Examination The Ph.D. in Electrical qualifying examination contains two components: (I) Knowledge Competencies through fulfillment of graduate coursework in both primary and secondary concentration areas and (II) Communication and Research Competencies through submission of a written research proposal followed by an oral presentation to the Candidacy Examination Committee. Successful completion of a candidacy examination is required for formal admission into the Electrical Doctoral program. I. Knowledge Competencies In order to establish knowledge competencies, the student must have a Preliminary Program of Study on file and must submit his or her request in writing to the Graduate Advisor of Record after completion of required coursework. The student must take and pass the concentration-specific written Qualifying Examination to demonstrate readiness to pursue a Ph.D. in the chosen field. The written exam is offered at the beginning of the Spring and Fall semesters. In order to take the written Qualifying Examination, students must have taken three core courses, including one core course of the student s primary area and two core courses representing the student s secondary areas, with a grade point average (GPA) of no less than.. No courses with a GPA of less than.0 can be counted to satisfy the knowledge competency. An advanced graduate course (non-laboratory intensive) with a specified core course as prerequisite may be used, upon the approval of the Graduate Advisor of Record, to satisfy the given core course requirement, if the student took the core (or equivalent) course for credit in a different degree program or at another institution. II. Communication and Research Competencies The purpose of the Exam on Communication and Research Competency is to evaluate the student s capability to communicate technical materials, in both written and oral forms, in a clear, concise, and well-organized manner. The Exam on Communication and Research Competency is scheduled during each Fall and Spring semester within one semester after fulfillment of Knowledge Competencies. A Ph.D. supervising professor from the ECE Department should be identified prior to scheduling the exam. The examination includes a written research proposal and an oral presentation on an assigned topic relevant to the student s area of concentration. The Candidacy Examination Committee is a three-member subcommittee of the ECE Graduate Committee established to evaluate each candidate. A majority decision is required for passing the exam. Full-time students who fail their first attempt at the candidacy exams may make a second attempt within one semester or prior to the end of the fourth long semester since the student s admission to the Ph.D. program, whichever is earlier. No more than two attempts to pass the candidacy exams are permitted. When both the Knowledge Competency and the Communication and Research Competency requirements are successfully satisfied, the Chair of the Graduate Program Committee will notify the student of his or her formal admission as a candidate to the Electrical Doctoral program. If a student passes the candidacy exam provisionally with coursework recommendations, including English as a Second Language (ESL) courses, the student will not be advanced to the Dissertation Proposal Examination until all provisional conditions are met. Dissertation Proposal Examination Students should take the dissertation proposal exam after they have passed the candidacy exam (and have satisfied provisional conditions, if any), but no later than the seventh long semester after enrolling in the program. The student must be registered and be in good academic standing to hold the dissertation proposal examination. The approved Dissertation Committee, chaired by the student s Supervising Professor, conducts the dissertation proposal exam. The dissertation proposal exam consists of a written review of the student s dissertation research and future research plans, their defense in an oral presentation, followed by a closed oral exam administered by committee members. The committee shall examine the student s knowledge in the subject area, make recommendations for modifying the research plan, alert the student to related work, and identify potential complications. The committee may recommend additional research and/ or coursework as it sees necessary. Major deviation from the proposed research requires the approval of the Dissertation Committee. Unanimous approval of the Committee is required for the student to pass the exam. Students who fail their first attempt at the dissertation proposal exam are allowed to make a second attempt within one year. No more than two attempts to pass the dissertation proposal exam are permitted. Final Oral Dissertation Defense After admission to candidacy and passing the dissertation proposal exam, the next steps are conducting dissertation research, writing the dissertation and passing the final oral defense. The final oral defense is administered and evaluated by the student s Dissertation Committee. The final oral defense consists of a public presentation of the dissertation, followed by a closed oral defense. The Dissertation Committee must unanimously approve the dissertation. Integrated B.S/M.S. Program The integrated B.S./M.S. (Bachelor of Science and Master of Science) program administered by the Department of Electrical and Computer (ECE) is designed for highly motivated and qualified B.S. students to obtain both an undergraduate degree and an advanced degree within an accelerated timeline. Through this program, motivated B.S. students can start working with the faculty advisors on research projects as early as in their senior year. Program Admission Requirements Applications to the B.S./M.S. program must be submitted after the completion of 75 but before 90 semester credit hours of coursework, 8 2//7
Department of Electrical and Computer usually when a student is enrolled in his or her junior year or in the sixth semester of the B.S. program. The B.S./M.S. program applicants must have a minimum of. grade point average for both cumulative and within the designated major. For qualified applicants, the department will waive the GRE exam requirement. To apply for the program, students need to: Apply online under the category of Integrated B.S./M.S. (B.S. in Electrical, or Computer and M.S. in Electrical, Computer, or Advanced Materials ); and Submit an official UTSA transcript and a Proposed Program of Study with an approval from B.S./M.S. advisors. Submission of both recommendation letters and a personal statement is optional but highly recommended for consideration of scholarships. Degree Requirements B.S. Degree Requirement The current undergraduate degree programs in Electrical and Computer require 26 semester credit hours for completion with fifteen of these hours (five -hour courses) as technical electives. Students accepted into the Integrated B.S./M.S. program will be required to complete 7 undergraduate semester credit hours and 9 graduate semester credit hours to replace three of the five undergraduate technical elective courses toward the B.S. degree, provided that students pass the corresponding challenge exams for the three undergraduate elective courses. The graduate courses include one of the required core graduate courses and other two technical electives from the same area of concentration. Students may enroll in a cross-listed course and take a challenge exam following the UTSA s challenge exam procedure to earn undergraduate credits for the graduate course taken (see Footnote ). Credits earned by challenging UTSA undergraduate courses by examination apply to Bachelor degree requirements. Grades of CR are not included in the UTSA grade point average calculation. II. Nonthesis Option: The students must complete credit hours including hours of project work. B.S./M.S. Classification Once admitted to the B.S./M.S. combined program, students are allowed to take graduate courses as undergraduate students. Students admitted to the Integrated B.S./M.S. program will be reclassified from undergraduate to graduate student status when they have completed 26 semester credit hours of coursework (of any combination of graduate and undergraduate hours) toward their degrees. Currently the Challenging a UTSA Course policy at UTSA applies only to undergraduate courses; thus, this mechanism is valid only if the same graduate course is cross-listed with an undergraduate course or until the procedure is extended to graduate courses. A graduate core course taken as an undergraduate must be completed with a grade of B or better. If a grade lower than B is received, it can be counted as an undergraduate technical elective, but in order to stay in the Integrated B.S./M.S. program, a student must pass one of the graduate core courses with a grade of B or better. Undergraduate students not able to satisfy this requirement, or simply wishing to voluntarily withdraw from the Integrated B.S./M.S. program, must use a combination of five undergraduate technical electives and graduate courses to satisfy the original 26-hour regular degree program requirement in order to receive their B.S. degree. Students continuing on in the Integrated B.S./M.S. program will apply 7 undergraduate semester credit hours and 9 semester credit hours of technical elective courses by passing the challenging exams to their B.S. degrees. The 9 graduate semester credit hours taken as an undergraduate will be counted towards the M.S. degree requirement. M.S. Degree Requirement A student enrolled in B.S./M.S. program can graduate by completing requirements for a thesis or nonthesis (project) option. I. Thesis Option: The students must complete 0 credit hours including 6 hours of thesis work. 9